Well, Tom Petty was right. The waiting is the hardest part. It’s been about six weeks since I took the bar exam and while a lot has happened, waiting around for results has been the worst of it.

After you finish the exam, it’s a huge weight off your shoulders. The eight weeks of studying leading up to the exam suck but once it’s done, it’s done and there’s nothing you can do to change the outcome. The bar dreams, at least for me, stop and you feel like you can finally breath. But, waiting for those results is killer. Because there’s nothing you can do, all I’ve done is sit here and think over where I could have done better. I’m convinced my best wasn’t good enough this time around and I’ve come to terms with passing or failing.

I have two weeks left. Eleven days more specifically. It’s a countdown I’m half looking forward to ending and half terrified I’ll have to restart the process all over again. I’ve made it this far and even worst case, I will be licensed in 7 months so regardless I can’t be too upset. So here’s to distractions, projects, and a few panic attacks until April 22nd.

The bar exam is 2.5 years away but preparation is already upon me. Starting early to prep for the bar is important but not in the typical “I should study” sense but more in the “get your ducks in a row” sense.

Some states, like Illinois and Florida, allow 1Ls to submit certain forms ahead of time in order to save money and I would assume make the lives of the bar examiners easier. These programs are perfect for 1Ls in so many ways but can take a lot of time to fill out and get the information correct for.

I’ll be taking the Illinois bar so I decided to fill out all the forms earlier so I would have plenty of time before I got too busy later in law school. In total the application, which is about 95% finished, has taken me an hour and a half. It includes addresses, employers, character/fitness questions, etc. Honestly, it was kind of a pain but I’ll have to do it eventually right?

I do not in any way suggest loading yourself up with actual study materials for the bar quite yet, though some light studying may be a good idea. However, getting logistics out of the way as early as possible will make it easier in the long run. As far as Illinois goes, you have to report changes to them but overall, it isn’t too bad. Planning ahead will save a lot of time and stress later.